This is a slightly tangential take on why you should try to eat healthier. 

When you eat close to what your body needs to remain lean and healthy, most of us will wind up eating a lot less food and will eat out or order in a whole lot less. 

That matters. Each Indian wastes 55 kgs of food a year. This is not counting the third of our produce lost due to poor management and facilities. 

As an ovo-lacto vegetarian, I often sit on a rather high moral high horse. My consumption does not cause the direct suffering that a carnivore diet does. That is until I think about my personal consumption footprint.

Between piped water, some roads, cement, steel, phones, clothes, fuel, electricity, cars, air-travel and my digital life, my life is expensive. I acknowledge the massive hidden cost to the environment and society for a relatively privileged, comfortable existence. And the land, electricity, water and fertiliser required for farming is just vast. I am not going down the road of how that food gets to your table from the farm. 

Takeaway 

There is a case to be made that if you are a ‘conscientious’ consumer who eschews fast fashion, fast food, pointless travel, embraces electric motors and lithium and tries to repair your electronics before your replace it, portion control is very low hanging fruit. 

Measuring your food and moderating your portions. Cutting back on eating out, wastage and eating just how much is right for you from a body composition perspective could be better for the planet. Needless to say, imported avocados, exotic grain and imported fish/meat are not frequent items on a healthier menu. It’s local dairy, eggs, poultry, fish, seafood, meat, grain, lentils/legumes, veggies, nuts and sugar. Whatever you eat in just the right doses that you need.